Time After Time
by twz98
Summary: I was happy before she comes along. I was okay, working, saving to get back to college and I wasn't even bored with my daily life. But, here she is.. Making me realize that, "happy" and "okay" wasn't good enough and that she's willing to fix that.. In ways I could never imagine..


"- Mom, I just need to save more. I'm good at this. And I don't know why are you bringing this up again, you know how much I hate the idea of him helping me.." Santana said.

She was heading out from her flat when her phone buzzed and saw her mom's loving face flashing on her screen. She was so happy to tell her how work was and that she met a choreographer few days ago after her performance at the Barracks, telling her that two of his dancers were MIA for some reason, and asked her to maybe drop by to his studio and try to check if she's up for audition.

" Tan, you're being childish. It's my responsibility to support you especially with this. Your talent is exceptional. I don't find any problem with us helping you to get back to college."

"Yeah, it's easy for you to say, Mom. And why 'US'? He's not even my father.."

"But he's willing to provide for your education, Santana.."

_And then what, So he can meddle with my life again? This is getting ridiculous. _

"Mom, that man is a homophobic drug lord I can't even understand why are you're still with him and now you're still asking me to consider his help? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Santana! Don't talk to me like that I'm still your mother!"

She stopped walking right away. _I don't have a get back to that. _

She just let a few minutes pass, calming herself down. How can a 'Hello there Coolest Mom in the world, I missed you so much' lead them to such a horrible topic like this? She can now hear his voice calling her mom in the background.

_There you go._

"I'm sorry Santana but we're just trying to help.."

_Dodge a bullet, why don't you._

"I'm gonna be an Architect, Mom. I don't know when it'll be and how can I make it happen but I'll get there. I have two jobs and I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for your concern but I will never give other people a chance to shove me back into the closet.. No, not this time.. "

"Santana.."

"Look mom I'm gonna be late for my audition. I'll call you again next time, Okay?"

"Okay, but please just think a-"

"Please... Just stop. "

Then there's a pause. She can hear him calling her mom again.

_How much fuck Mom can give you now? Oh wait, there's none._

"I love you, Santana.."

"I love you too, Mom. I gotta go. Take care."

"You too, Tan. Bye.."

She felt like the whole excitement she have from this new opportunity has been drained from her body. And she didn't have time to process everything that went down there, or even put her cell phone back in her duffel bag because as she was about to turn around she was hit by a bicycle that made her trip down on the floor, her phone tossed away across the street and crashed into pieces by a passing truck.

"What the - NO!" She screamed.

She turns her head around to find out who's the culprit and only met with a cat-eyed woman who's also in a state of shock. She was so stunned that she almost forgot that her phone was in pieces not three seconds ago and she was supposed to give this lady a piece of her mind.

_The English language was lacking in words to describe how beautiful this woman is. _

Bluest eyes that could drown a fish.

If Emma Stone saw that perfectly freckled nose, she might hide in disgrace for the rest of her life.

Thin kissable, irresistible lips that she could.. Well.. Make out with for hours. Or days.

_Oh fuck then._

It took her another three seconds to regain her composure, and as soon as she remembered that she was still half lying on a sidewalk, she noticed that there are a couple of people watching the commotion and also there's a hand in front of her to help her to get up on her feet again but she didn't take it anyway.

"What the hell? Look what you've done!" She slapped the woman's hand away and stood up. She dusted off herself and pointed across the street, at her phone that by now she assumed that it's already pulverized since she can't see its parts anymore but maybe it was because she wasn't wearing any glasses.

"I'm so sorry! It's just that I was in a rush and you're kind of blocking my-"

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to stand in your way here at the SIDEWALK. Keyword Miss! Where people WALK not ride a fucking bicycle! Are you freaking nuts? I am not the one who's fucking care less! Now what am I gonna do with that?" She pointed at her phone again. As she was about to continue her rant the woman calmly replied.

"Look, I'm really, really sorry. But I cannot deal with right now. I'm so late for-"

"You're UNBELIEVABLE!" She exclaimed. If this was just a simple situation, she might just roll her eyes but she was so dumbfounded she just stared at her wide-eyed, mouth agape.

"I'm really sorry, Miss but can I just at least get your number so I could-"

"Oh wow! Who ever thought that you're too fucking gorgeous eyes weren't that functional?"

Then there's a long, uncomfortable pause.

Luckily there's someone between them gained her self-possession, but that's not Santana. The girl seemed so confused where'd that statement came from, considering that she's having her eyebrows knitted and her eyes squinted. Santana, whose by now quite flustered, contemplated if she will just give this up or continue her angry outburst. But before she starts the woman spoke.

"Uh, Thanks but I don't understand, I just want to have it so we could maybe arrange-"

And since she was starting to blurt out unfiltered thoughts about this ridiculously attractive woman, she just decided to point again, for the third time, her phone across the street. The girl squints again and this time she was trying to find out what Santana was telling her. Her eyebrows shot up with the realization.

"Oh."

"yeah, OH! That's right. You know what, screw you. I don't even know why I am still having this chit chat with you. You're not the only one who's in the rush here so thanks so fucking much for fucking up my fucking day!" Then she promptly turns around she's quite sure this pissed-off-inspired exit was so much better than a break-up-with-a-fucking-cheater exit. She noticed right after her epic twirl that there's still a couple of people watching them creepily as if they are watching some sorts of season ending episode of a TV show.

"WHAT! ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO START TO CHIP IN TO BUY ME A NEW DAMN PHONE?"

It's almost comedic how the people were startled by her flare-up; she would laugh about how they scrambled out of her sight only if she's not so pissed by how her bright beautiful day turns out to be catastrophic. And it's only 9:30 a.m.

"9:30 A.M.! FUCK!" And that's the moment she realized she's already half an hour late for her audition. She starts to turn her walk-a-thon into an actual run. After a few minutes, she came in the studio gasping for air, not even noticing the bike parked beside the entrance door, which supposed to be very familiar to her.

You see, when Santana was in her middle school, there are three things she's known for. Well first, she's not the one to mess with. Second, she's the author of Slash-and-Scratch Attack to one Trevor Adams' brand new sports car. This Trevor guy was her bestie's cheating ex-boyfriend. On the contrary to popular belief, she's not one of those stereotypical Latinas you can see on some ridiculous badly written TV shows who's just bitching around, breathing men and eating girls. Santana was one of the smartest, most talented students in the campus. She's the one to ask for help if there's a stage play, just about anything related to music, photography and arts. To sum it all up, she's well loved by her teachers and other students. And she never brags anything about that. So, if there's anything happened with your car, even if you possess a strong evidence that she's the chic behind the stack, it will absolutely lose-lose situation for you. Not only will no one ever believes you and everybody will despise you for 'making up a story', but also you'll still pay for your own auto repair. Told you, she wasn't a bitch she's not the one to mess with.

Third and never the last, she's like, a porn star. Not a porn star-porn star. She's this girl who always has everyone's attention whenever she walks-in in a crowded room. You can't blame anyone for that; she's literally a heaven on earth. She can practically run an entire continent by flashing one little shy smile.

So there's nothing peculiar to her when she made an entrance. She shyly made a bee line towards Neil as soon as she recognized him at the front side of the studio, talking with someone she bet to be one of his dancers. Her heart's kind of beating fast, but she's sure it's because of the mini-marathon she did and of course, for being late. It's all about first impressions right?

The percentage of how much drool on the floor and daggers shooting at her were from men and women will never be known.

Neil must sense her presence, excusing himself from his conversation and averted his gaze to Santana, and his dancer quickly follows his line of vision.

And then.. There she is again. Santana suddenly stops dead in tracks.

"Motherfucker.." she unconsciously breathes out.

There, standing in front of her, is the smoothest criminal alive. _Talk about the Twilight Zone._

Oddly enough, the girl's face was completely surreal the moment her eyes fall to Santana. Her thin lips slowly form into a big, bright smile, a kind of smile that can light up a grand stadium, a smile that could make Edward Cullen burn to death, and she didn't have any clue where the hell that smile came from.

"It's you again.." the girl said flashing her a big wide smile.

That voice made Santana free from the trance.

"Oh god, did you just followed me here?"

"Uh, I think I got here first.."

Santana was caught off guard by her answer and she's sure as hell ready to blow a sarcastic retort, but before that Neil cut her off.

" Sooo, you two hotties don't need any formal introduction, huh" he smirked.

The young woman gave him a shy grin and said, " yeah, Neil. I kind of know-"

" uh no, I think you should stop talk-"

"Whoa, you guys." Neil said. He's starting to giggle. " Did you two slept together before or something?" he was laughing at their obvious awkwardness.

There was a pause again and Santana's sure the girl's lips twitched up.

"Shut up, Neil.." the girl peeks through her eyelashes to Santana and bit her upper lip to hold her goofy grin. The girl's face was beet red by now and Santana felt her cheeks heat up, but not worried about it, it's not like her skin tone is capable of flushing. She's just so oblivious to the whole situation, and didn't have enough sanity left for her to think about the implication.

"I'm really sorry for showing up so late, Neil" Santana butted in. "I had a pretty crappy situation this morning and my phone was smashed by a truck," she turns her head to the girl and flashed her a glare, "so I didn't get a chance to inform you.."

" You see here, lucky girl I'm actually sending them home early today. I have an emergency meeting in about - an hour so maybe let's get you started next week. Is that alright with you?"

"oh, okay. But wait, what? Start? I haven't auditioned yet.."

"Honey, seeing you here now means you're interested. That's all I gotta know. And I have seen you perform at least eight times already.. " Neil said and gave Santana a wink.

" Eight?" she replied. "But I thought that was the first time you had seen me dance?"

"I didn't say that, Hon. And I like sneaking around.. Anyway babes, I really have to go." he turns his attention to the other girl who up until now, still staring to Santana. " Britty, I'll leave you with your - girlfriend now okay, see you around.." and he rushes out to the changing room while chuckling, leaving them dumbfounded.

"Do you mind if-" the blonde girl started but Santana cut her off again, must have been the hundredth time today.

"Save it, pretty girl. I don't know what your deal is but sorry, I'm not interested. So now, I'm gonna leave you here cos you know I need to work really, really hard so I could get another phone again. So yeah, Adios." then she turns around and walk out of the studio without catching the wide, adorable smile from the woman that she hates.


End file.
